Condenser apparatus



A 22, 1933- E. F. MILLE'R ET AL 1 9 3,274

CONDENSER APPARATUS Filed Nov. 4, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESS E F M mgmrfins (1L5 ILLEFE, HNE m ATTORNEY 1933- E. F. MILLER ET AL CONDENSER APPARATUS Filed NOV. 4, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

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WITNESS Aug. 22, 1933. F WLL R ET AL 1,923,274

CONDENSER APPARATUS Filed Nov. 4, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 22, 1933 PATENT OFFICE CONDENSER APPARATUS Ernest F. Miller, Prospect Park, and Enos H.

Lane, Lansdowne, and Charles B. Tuley, Glenolden, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a Corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 4, 1932. Serial No. 641,290 13 Claims. (o1. 257-43) Our invention relates to steamcondensers for power plants and it has for an object to provide a condenser of the welded steel type having an improved construction of shell and reenforcement therefor.

In accordance with our invention, we provide a steel plate shell reenforced by steel shapes of suitable section and welded to the shell. It is common practice to reenforce cast iron condenser shells by means of circumferential and longitudinal ribs or webs; however, as cast iron is weak in tension, such ribbing or webbing has been placed exteriorly of the shell. As steel is strong both in compression and tension, this structural limitation of cast iron does not apply and accordingly we have reenforcement placed either inside or outside or partly inside and partly outside of a steel plate shell and welded thereto. We prefer to have the circumferentially-extending reenforcing shapes welded interiorly of the shell, this being advantageous in that external projections on the shell are minimized and the arrangement is particularly advantageous with condensers of the radial-flow type where the shell is spaced from the nest for the whole or a part of the periphery of the latter to provide a steam admission space. As such a steam admission space'is inherent in the radial-flow design, it will be apparent that the circumferentially extending steel shapes may be provided 'interiorly of the shell without interfering with existing principles of design or operation, the shapes being disposed in the general direction of steam flow and, therefor, not interfering with proper distribution of steam for admission peripherally of the nest. The provision of a steam inlet may interfere with arcuate continuity-of the shell, it then being necessary to provide relatively flat plate portions joined together and to the curved portions to define the inlet; and this-introduces structural weakness which must be taken care of by additional reenforcement. To this end, we provide the vertical end and side walls of the inlet with vertically-extending reenforcing shapes and the reenforcing shapes of the side walls are continuous with the circumferentially extending reenforcing shapes of the shell. Additional reenforcement for the" relatively flat portions of the shell in the vicinity of the steam inlet is provided by longitudinally-extending steel shapes welded to the shell at the side of the latter opposite to the circumferentially-extending shapes, this arrangement providing for adequate reenforcement at both sides of the. shell without cutting the shapes or the shell. The upper portion of the shell adjacent to the steam inlet is additionally reenforced by cross stays having their ends welded to the circumferentially-extending steel shapes.

It is, therefore, a further object of our invention to provide a condenser having a welded plate steel shell reenforced by circumferentiallyextending steel shapes welded to one side of the shell and by longitudinally-extending steel shapes welded to the other side.

A further object of our invention is to provide a radial-flow condenser having a welded steel shell provided with interior circumferentially-extending reenforcing steel shapes welded to the shell.

A further object of our invention is to provide a radial-flow condenser having a shell constructed of steel plate and reenforced internally by circumferentially-extending steel shapes welded to the shell and the shapes constitutingsupporting means for the intermediate tube supporting sheets of the tube nest.

These and other objects are effected by our invention as will be apparent from the following disclosure and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional improved condenser;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the improved shell;

' Fig. 3 is a plan view of our improved condenser;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line view of the "IVIV of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is the sectional view taken along the line VV of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, we show a fabricated condenser shell 10 made from steel plate and welded together, the shell having fabricated lateral feet 11' welded externally thereof.

Tube sheets 12 and water boxes 13 are connected to opposite ends of the shell in the usual way, the tube sheets having ends of the tubes of the tube nest 14 connected thereto.

The shell 10 includes a curved portion 15, terminal circular curved portions 1.5a, and upper relatively fiat portions 16. The steam inlet 17 is provided by vertical ends plates 18 welded to the curved and relatively fiat portions 15' and 16, to the circular curved portions 15a, and to the ends of vertically-extending side walls 20, which are of less height than the end walls 18 and are joined at their lower edges to the relatively fiat portions 16.

curved and relatively flat portions 15 and 16 of the shell and being joined to vertically-extending shapes 24 welded interiorly of the inlet side walls 20. Each of the inlet end walls 18 is strengthened or reenforced by interior vertically-extend ing steel shapes 25 welded thereto and also, if desired, byone or more exterior, horizontally-extending shapes 26 welded thereto.

The shell is additionally. reenforced in the vicinity of the steam inlet. To this end, we. show the relatively fiat portions 16 of the shell having longitudinally extending steel shapes 28 Welded externally and internal reenforcement is provided by a cross structure or stays 29having the ends thereof welded to the circumferentially-extending shapes 21. circumferentially-extending shapes are arranged at one side of the shell and the longitudinally:

extending shapes are arranged at the other side, no cutting either of the shapes or of the shell is necessary in order to provide for inside and outside reenforcement. v

The structure wherein the circumferentially extending reenforcing shapes are disposed interiorly of the shell is advantageous in minimizing externalprojections and it is particularly advantageousfor condensers of the radial-flow type,

for, with such condensers, as illustrated, the nest 14 is spaced from the encompassing shell 10 by a steam admission space 39, 'in which the shapes 21 may be disposed without change or modification in the design, and such shapes extend in such a direction, that is, vertically, that they do not I interfere with the normal direction of steam flow and, therefore, do notimpede proper distribution of steam for admission to the nest.

In addition to the interior reenforcing shapes 21 affording means. to which the cross stays or struts 29 are welded, the shapes 21 also constitute supporting means for the intermediate tube supporting sheets 31. To this end, we show the shapes 21 having tabs 32 welded thereto. Also,

the cross stays or struts 29 have tabs 33 welded thereto.

longitudinal shapes extending transversely of the circumferentially-extending shapes. without involving any cutting, as the shapes are welded to opposite sides of the shell. Preferably, the circumferentially-extending shapes are welded internally of the shell not only to minimize external projections but to produce an arrangement which is particularly advantageous with a condenser of the radial-flow type, for, with this type, there already exists a steam admission space between the shell and the tube nest and in It will'be noted that, as the which the reenforcement may be disposed without any interference with the normal direction of steam flow and, therefore, without any disturbance of distribution of steam to the nest. A further advantage for the internal circumferentially-extending reenforcing shapes is that the shapes may be used conveniently to support the intermediate tube supporting sheets. The pro- -'-vision of a steam inlet necessarily makesthat portion of the condenser structurally weaker than the curved portion. Therefore, we have the relatively flat portions of the shell reenforced by longitudinally-extending steel shapes welded externally thereto. The vertical end walls 18 and side walls 20 of the inlet are reenforced by vertically-extending shapes, the vertically-extending shapes associated with the side walls preferably being continuous with the circumferentially-extending interior shapes. Further reenforcement of the inlet portion is provided for by cross stays or struts having their ends welded to the 'circ'umferentially-extending interior shapes; and such struts or cross stays are made from circular pipes or bars so as to offer minimum resistance to steam flow obtainable with standard shapes.

' While we have shown our invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the artthat it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and we desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a condenser, a steel plate shell, circumferential reenforcing steel shapes welded to one side of the shell, and longitudinally-extending reenforcing steel shapes welded to the other side of the shell and extending transversely of the circumferentially-extending shapes.

2. In a condenser, a steel plate shell, circumferentially-extending reenforcing shapes welded to the interior surface of the shell and longitudinally-extending reenforcing steel shapes welded to the exterior surface of the shell and extending transversely of the circumferentiallyextending shapes.

3. In a condenser, a steel plate shell having a steam inlet portion, circumferentially-extending reenforcing steel shapes welded to one side of the shell including the inlet portion, and longi- 'tudinally-extending steel shapes welded to the- Each intermediate tube supporting 7 sheet 31 is connected'to its coplanar set of tabs other side of the shell and extending transversely of the circumferentially-extending shapes, said longitudinally-extending shapes being connected to the shell in the-vicinity of the inlet portion thereof. I

4. In a condenser, a steel plate shell having curved and relatively fiat portions, circumferentially-extending reenforcing steel shapes welded to one side of the shell, and longitudinally-extending reenforcing steel shapes welded to the relatively flat portions of the shell at the other side of the latter and extending transversely of the circumferentially-extending shapes.

5. In a condenser, a steel plate shell having curved and relatively flat portions, a steam inlet having vertical end walls welded to the shell and vertical sidewalls of less height than the end Walls and welded to the upper edges of the relatively flat portions of the shell, vertically arranged reenforcing shapes welded interiorly of the shell and of the inlet, the shapes welded interiorly of the side walls of the inlet and of the shell extending circumferentially of the latter, longitudinally-extending steel shapes welded to the relatively flat portions of the shell and externally of the latter and extending transversely of the interior shapes.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 5 wherein cross struts are arranged in the upper portion of the shell and have their ends welded to the interior shapes.

7. In a condenser, a steel plate shell having curved and relatively flat portions, a steam inlet having vertical end walls welded to the shell and vertical side walls of less height than the end walls and joined to the upper edges of the relatively flat portions of the shell, vertically-arranged reenforcing shapes welded interiorly of the shell and of the inlet, the shapes welded interiorly of the side Walls of the inlet and of the shell extending circumferentially of the latter, and cross struts disposed in the upper portion of the shell and having their ends welded to the interior circumferentially-extending shapes.

8. In a condenser, a tube nest a steel plate shell enveloping the nest and spaced from the latter a substantial portion of the periphery of the nest to provide a steam admission space, and circumferentially-extending ribs welded interiorly of the shell and extending in the normal direction of steam flow so as not to impede distribution of steam to the tubes of the nest.

9. In a condenser, a nest of tubes and a steel plate shell encompassing the nest and spaced from the latter to provide a steam admission space extending about the nest, reenforcing steel shapes disposed in the admission space and welded interiorly of the shell and extending circumferentially of the latter end of the tube nest so as to be in the general direction of steam flow and avoid interference with distribution of steam to the tube nest.

10. In a condenser, a nest of tubes, a steel plate shell encompassing the nest and spaced from the latter to provide a steam admission space extending about the nest, the shell including curved and relatively flat portions, a steam inlet having vertical end walls welded to the shell and vertical sidewalls of less height than the end walls and joined to the upper edges of the relatively flat portions of the shell, and vertically-arranged reenforcing steel shapes Welded interiorly of the shell and of the side and end walls of the inlet, the shapes welded interiorly of the side walls of the inlet being continuous with shapes extending circumferentially of the shell.

11. In a condenser of the welded type, a steel plate shell; reenforcing shapes arranged interiorly of the shell, extending circumferentially thereof, and welded thereto; and intermediate tube supporting sheets connected to said shapes.

12. The combination as claimed in claim 11 with cross stays arranged interiorly of the upper portion of the shell and having the ends thereof welded to the reenforcing shapes.

13. In a condenser of the welded type, a steel plate shell; reenforcing shapes arranged interiorly of the shell, extending circumferentially thereof, and welded thereto; inwardly-extending tabs welded to the shapes; and intermediate tube supporting sheets connected to said tabs.

ERNEST F. MILLER. ENOS H. LANE. CHARLES B. TULEY. 

